Submitted by Hayleigh DeLoach, Published June 2025

It started in a high school accounting class in Birmingham, Alabama, where students played Monopoly every day and tracked their game like real accountants. “We had to pass ‘Go’ and literally debit cash and credit income,” she laughed. “That’s when I knew I loved business and numbers.” That experience sparked her decision to pursue an accounting degree at Jacksonville State University.

After college, Mara landed a role at Barber Dairies, a regional milk and dairy distributor as well as one of Alabama’s largest real estate owners. There, she worked as the mall accountant for Century Plaza, a million square foot mall.

“On a daily basis, I was surrounded by leasing, marketing, and management. I was even an extra in the mall’s holiday commercial,” she said with a grin. “That’s when I started to really understand the commercial real estate business as a whole.”

That curiosity snowballed. At Bayer Properties, she helped underwrite and launch The Summit, a 165 acre land site that was developed as one of the nation’s first open-air retail centers. “I asked Jeffrey to be in every meeting,” she said. “Architecture, engineering, environmental, you name it, I wanted to learn it.” It meant working extra hours, but she didn’t care. She was building a foundation.

Eventually, her journey brought her to Denver. On her first day in the city, she met Jeff Fabian the man who would later become her husband. Professionally, Mara joined Cushman & Wakefield for a year before finding her long-term home at Lowe Enterprises, which has turned into a 26+ year career filled with evolution, impact, and growth.

At Lowe, she’s held a variety of roles, starting in acquisitions and moving into asset management, now overseeing commercial and multifamily properties for Lowe’s western markets. “What’s kept me here is the culture and the variety. Every day is different, and Lowe has always been entrepreneurial in spirit,” she said.

That adaptability has never been more critical than in recent years. From navigating the lease-up of a 300 unit multifamily asset that opened just as COVID hit in Seattle, Washington, to managing a million-square-foot retail repositioning project in San Diego, Mara understands what it takes to lead through change. “You have to stay flexible, open, and willing to keep learning. Always.”

One of her most enduring leadership lessons came early in her time at Lowe. After staying late to wrap up an analysis on an acquisition, she walked into her manager’s office only to find him packing up. “He told me he was heading home to have dinner with his family,” she recalled. “It stuck with me. That moment taught me you can lead with excellence and still protect what matters most. And having a balanced life is critical to professional success.”

Now, as a proud mom to a daughter who just graduated college, Mara is watching the next generation navigate early adulthood. “She’s figuring it out, just like I once did. It’s such a special season.”

She stays grounded through routine. A group fitness enthusiast, she’s been showing up to 6 a.m. classes for over a decade. “It brings me joy as well as an amazing community. And honestly, I think it’s the consistency that helps me show up fully for work and life.”

Mara is also a firm believer in the power of presence. “I’m a huge advocate for being in the office. There’s so much you learn by overhearing, by walking down the hall and having an impromptu conversation. It’s where deals are made, relationships are built, and personal growth happens.”

Outside of work, Mara brings that same energy to life. She loves to travel and has checked a lifetime of live music acts off her list, but says she’ll never pass up a good concert. A self-described foodie, she’s always game to try new restaurants, especially if they come with a great glass of wine or a creative cocktail.

From boardrooms to boarding passes, Mara Fabian’s journey is proof that growth never stops, and neither does she.